Reasons why to put your bike on the train;
- It´s a safer way to get in or out of Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh.
- You can skip parts you don´t want to ride though.
- Gain a day by sleeping over-night on the train.
- If your not a confident rider, exiting the cities is not a great way to get used to your bike or introduction to riding in Vietnam.
Getting in and out of Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City can test your limits. There are oneway systems that make you feel like your going around in circles. Massive amounts of lorries, buses and streams of bikes all driving erratically practically bumper to bumper in rush hour.
How its done:
1: Arrive at the station and look for a ticket booking office. They are signed and easy to spot. The people in them have official looking clothing on.
2: You will need to buy a ticket for you and one for the bike.
*Watch out for people in the station trying to sell you a ticket. Don´t buy from them, go directly to the booking office.*Not all the trains allow bikes on so check the time tables by going to the station first to ask. *Normal the night trains allow motor bikes.
Cost:
- 250,000 VND per bike
- 350,5000 VND per person 1st class sleeper
3: Its two separate tickets. On your bike invoice they will write you name, License plate number, make and engine size and give you one copy. Once you have your ticket look or ask where you need to take your bike.
4: There will be someone there with a plastic bottle to siphon the remaining fuel from your tank.*Try to arrive at the station with a little amount of gas in your tank.
*This means you will have an empty tank at the other end but don´t panic there is normally a stand at the station you arrive at selling plastic water bottles filled with what passes as enough fuel to get you to the next garage. * Or bring a small can with you concealed in your bag.
5: After thats done they will direct you to the train carriage that the bikes go on. You will need to wait with your bike until they come to roll them on. They will look at your ticket match your bike with it and then place your bike on the the train.
6: Next you can go and find your sleeper or seat.
7: Once you arrive at your designation find the bike train carriage collect your bike and roll it off the platform.
8: Refuel and off you go.
Heres a couple of more links:
Vietnam Coracle: Motorbike on the Train: Saigon to Phan Thiet
Travelfish: Putting your motorbike on the train in Lao Cai
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